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Thought I would introduce myself to the hi-rez community.I've been frequenting AA for a couple of years, originally on the Planar Speaker forum. I've since prowled Amp/Pre-amp, Speaker General, Tubes, with my main residency being Vinyl. I'm registered and my system is listed, if anyone fancies to check, although the system name is no longer appropriate, since I've been in a re-building phase and most of it is less than 3 years old.
My system is 2 channel, geared for vinyl playback (my preferred listening source), so any digital source must be able to co-exist, without driving me out out of the room.
A few weeks ago I took possession of my first SACD/CD player, a Vacuum State JLTi (modded Sony NS92V multi-player). This replaced a 15 year old modded Micromega Stage 3 CD player. The transport mechanism was causing me grief, so decided it was time to retire it. I liked this player, very musical for a digital source, and the clock up-grade pushed it's performance well beyond it's class. However, the technology was getting old and I was limited to normal CD playback.
I had bought a Vacuum State pre-amp last autumn, so decided to try the JLTi. The JLTi seems to be integrating well, and I've noticed a positive difference on playback with normal CD's. I have 4 SACD's, not much of a sample to make any final judgements. There is an overall audio improvement compared to most normal CD, but so far nothing to shout about.
So, what discs do you use to show-off 2-channel SACD ??
Follow Ups:
Yep, I realised after I posted this, I didn't leave any info on musical preferences. Apologies for that ...It's easier to list what I don't like:
Opera
Heavy metal
Country & western
Hip-hop
Rap
80's electronic whinge
Grunge & garage
Whiny folk
Boy bandsAnd yes, please keep suggestions to SACD currently available.
Is the CD versus the SACD of the same title on the same player. Many will be subtle and will vary depending on one's equipment.I can give some examples using Bill Evans recordings I have. The SACDs totally trounce the originial CDs I have. Then I have some JVC K2 remaster of those recordings that trump the original CDs. The SACD trumps those K2s. Then I have some of the Evans recordings on XRCD which went for between $25-$30 a pop. Well those beat the other recordings I had but the SACDs trounce those.
I don't like to duplicate recordings but there was always the curiousity factor when one starts out. I also initially tried Kind Of Blue on SACD and I was initially unimpressed. But the player I had was not broken in whatsoever. There is no comparison now between the remaster CD I have versus the SACD as the latter totally trounces it. To date, I have about 10 titles I duplicated and the result is the same. I'll take the SACD!
Vinyl versus SACD to me is not a viable comparison. We are talking two different formats on different equipment.
Go to some of the CDs that you are fairly familiar with that have also been released on SACD and try some of those. Give your player some time to break in. I think you'll come to the same conclusions most here have that the SACD is the winner on the same player.
One cannot expect their top notch reigning champs on CD of different titles that were recorded by top engineers to beat mediocre SACDs. There are plenty of the latter unfortunately.
Hi Brian-First off, for my money, the best-sounding SACDs are not reissues of material previously recorded in some other format, including beloved analog tape. Which is not to say that, if you're a classical music fan, the re-issues of the RCA Living Stereos aren't worth buying. Or, if you're a jazz fan, the SACD of Kind of Blue isn't worth buying. But, if you're a vinyl guy, you probably have that record (as I do) and are quite happy with it (again, assuming that's your taste in music).
The best recordings are those done in native DSD. For example, the two-disc set of Allison Kraus and Union Station live in concert in Louisville was recorded in DSD. It's a great show, musically, and it shows off the capabilities of the medium. (But you have to like Bluegrass.)
If you're a classical music fan, some of the European lables are selling "new" DSD recordings, as is the London Symphony Orchestra ("LSO Live"). The opera recordings are especially impressive (but you have to like opera).
currently provides the best listening experience, the recording techniques and mixing are much more important. I give you as an example a SACD produced from a 1959 analog master "Art Pepper - Gettin It Together" that has great resolution, dynamic range, and imaging.
Len
I don't think a jazz recording -- any jazz recording -- fully exploits the dynamic range capabilities of DSD. Jazz music simply does not have the dynamic range of classical symphonic music, including opera.One of the impressive things about some of the recent classical DSD recordings I have purchased (including the LSO's live recording of "Falstaff") is the really stunning dynamic range and the absolute sense of both a lack of compression (or gain-riding on the part of the mastering engineer) and a lack of congestion on extremely loud passages.
Typically, analog tape recordings do not deliver that kind of range. The recording engineer has to compromise between hearing tape hiss on soft passages and saturating the tape on loud passages (where tape overload translates very quickly into substantial harmonic distortion, audible as "congestion"). Too much gain and the tape hiss is inaudible, but peaks are distored. Not enough gain and the tape hiss is audible; but the peaks will be o.k. The typical practice of the clever engineer is to "ride gain" by manually backing off the gain on loud passages to avoid the overload. A good engineer will know the piece of music and will know when these passages are coming. The effect, of course, is a kind of human-driven compression.
So, even a nice transfer to DSD of a well-done analog tape recording (like, say the RCA Living Stereos and the Mercury Living Presences) just isn't the same.
On the other hand, some of the analog tape to DSD transfers that I have of jazz recordings (e.g. DBQ's "Take Five"; Ray Brown Trio's
"Soular Energy")do sound very good indeed, no doubt about it.
Thanks for the DSD tip, Bruce.Back in 70's I used to listen to some bluegrass, then moved on to other things. I've always linked Allison Kraus with the 200gm audiophile vinyl crowd. I've never been interested enough to spring for these LP's. SACD might be an option.
I have all the Allman Bros on MoFI redbook CD which I thought was the ultimate.... until I heard 'Eat A Peach' on SACD. I use it all the time to show off my system. "Blue Sky" has it all.... dynamics, wide soundstage... makes me want to go home from work early to listen to it.
love that SACD! When I first got it, I play the shit out of it till my wife threatened to take it away unless I play something else.What I consider to be "classic Allman Brothers"!! Not that the later stuff was bad...they were never quite the same without Duanne.
many of the old RCA living stereo cds have been reissued in hybrid sacd
Knock your socks sound on: pictures at Exhibition, S.Sains organ #3, Schuburt , Symp. Fantastique Go to Amazon.com and review their listings, almost all of the RCA living presence SACD will show how advanced SACD is over Cd. PLAYED on my Marantz Sa11 the sound reaches a whole new higher level
Go to the attached link. You will find the top recommendations of people who buy SACD's. It's also a great site for SACD information.
Check the archives for more, but I would recommendAny of the AKUS SACD's
Sisters & Brothers
Brothers in Arms
Stones 12x5 and LIB
Gene Harris
James Taylor Hourglass
and a wierd one - Dave's True Story - Unauthorized
Besides the above (keep in mind stuff like the Stones and AKUS are out-of-print and what is left on store shelves is not much):Jennifer Warnes - "The Well"
Jorma Kaukenan - "Blue Country Heart"
David Elias - "The Window"
Bob Dylan - "Freewheelin" - note also difficult to find as above
Patricia Barber - any of the Mobile Fidelity SACDs
Amy Mann - any of the Mobile Fidelity SACDsand tons of others.
be helpful to know your musical preferences to make recommendations
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